Otero man arrested on drug charges

The Otero County Narcotics Enforcement Unit arrested a 22-year-old Otero County man after the man allegedly sold 5.5 grams of marijuana to an OCNEU agent on Dec. 28, Sheriff Benny House said.

House said Jaron Estes is charged with one count of fourth-degree felony possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

Estes was released on a $5,000, no-10 percent bond after his arrest.

House said OCNEU agents purchased the 5.5 grams of marijuana for $140 from Estes.

He said at the time of the purchase, OCNEU agents arrested Estes for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

In a second and unrelated arrest, Otero County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a 21-year-old Alamogordo man for cocaine possession Dec. 29, House said.

House said Pedro Hernandez is charged with one count each of fourth-degree felony possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

He said a sheriff's deputy, while on patrol, observed a man who the deputy knows as Hernandez inside an Alamogordo convenience store. House said the deputy believed Hernandez did have an active Alamogordo arrest warrant. He said the deputy called dispatch for confirmation of the arrest warrant, then learned from dispatch that Hernandez had an arrest warrant out of the city of Alamogordo.

House said deputies approached Hernandez and asked him to step outside of the convenience store, then placed him under arrest for the Alamogordo arrest warrant.

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He said while searching Hernandez, the arresting deputy located a baggie of cocaine in Hernandez's right jacket pocket and a small digital scale in Hernandez's pants pocket.

House said, along with the original arrest warrant and Hernandez's additional charges, Hernandez was jailed at the Otero County Detention Center in lieu of a $5,000 no-10 percent bond pending his appearance in court.Reach Duane Barbati at dbarbati@alamogordonews.com